Picker sticks



March 20, 1962 MATTON I 3,025,887

PICKER STICKS Filed Oct. 4, 1960 INVENTOR. FABIEN MATTON BY Jazz, www M E ia United States Patent Offiice 3,025,887 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,887 PICKER STICKS Fabien Matton, 1028 N. Randall Ave, Janesville, Wis. Filed Oct. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 60,402 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-456) This invention relates to picker sticks for looms and has to do more particularly with a picker stick having novel means for preventing breakage of the stick.

The picker sticks which are employed on looms for casting the shuttle across the warp often have their motion accidentally interrupted as by the defective working of the box motion or other causes and are thereby likely to be broken. Such interruption and damage to the picker stick often also result in damage to the associated working parts of the loom and the shuttles.

It has also been proposed to employ a picker stick made in two portions, one of which constitutes the main body portion of the stick and the other constitutes a frangible extension secured to the main body portion and carrying the picker.- Such an expedient is unsatisfactory in that the picker must be removed from the broken extension and replaced in accurately adjusted position on the new extension, and the new extension must be carefully and accurately positioned relative to the main body portion of such picker stick.

Efforts have been made to minimize the likelihood of injury to picker sticks and associated portions of the loom but they have not proved entirely satisfactory. Such devices have included releasing devices for the picker stick in the nature of latches which are released when unusual obstruction to the action of the picker stick is encountered. Such devices often operate to release the picker stick merely upon bumper impact during normal operation of the loom, requiring shutting down the operation until the device can be reset. Adjustment of such devices to insure that they will not be released upon bumper impact often results in the picker stick being broken, even though the releasing device is provided. Moreover, such releasing devices generally are relatively expensive and require accurate adjustment for satisfactory operation.

It has also been proposed to provide a yieldable pivotal mounting for the stick which releases the stick when the latter encounters any unusual obstruction to its movement, but such devices have either been subject to release upon bumping in the normal operation of the loom or have been dilficult to reset after release because of the strong springs generally employed for holding the pivot stud releasably in normal position.

Other attempts to overcome the problem of picker stick breakage have included the use of a frangible pivot pin for connecting the picker stick to the sweep stick, but this requires a number of expensive machined parts which require replacement and readjustment upon breakage of the frangible member.

An object of the present invention is to provide a picker stick having novel means for preventing breakage of the picker stick if the motion thereof is accidentally interrupted.

Another object is to provide a picker stick having a frangible section which breaks upon any unusual obstniction to movement of the stick and thereby prevents breakage of the stick itself.

Still another object is to provide a picker stick having frangible means for preventing breakage of the stick when the stick encounters any unusual obstruction in its operation and which is readily replaceable and does not require any re-adjustment of the stick or associated parts after release of such means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a picker 2 stick having a simple, inexpensive, and readily replaceable section which is adapted to break when the stick encounters any unusual obstruction, in order to prevent breakage of the stick or damage to the associated parts of the loom.

A further object is to provide a picker stick having safety means for preventing breakage of the picker stick or dam-age to the associated parts of the loom when the stick encounters any unusual obstruction to its movement and which, is not released by any jars or bumping occurring during normal operation of the loom.

Another object is to provide a picker stick having a frangible section which is adapted to break when the stick encounters any unusual obstruction in its operation, which section is inexpensive, can be readily replaced, and does not require any re-adjustment of the loom mechanism after replacement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a portion of a loom including particularly the picker stick and associated parts;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a picker stick constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the picker stick of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of a frangible plug forming a portion of the picker stick shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The picker stick of the present invention is adapted for use in a loom of conventional construction and, for purposes of illustration, the picker stick 10, shown in FIGURE 1, is connected to a rocker iron 11 by a pivot stud 12 extending through the rocker iron 11 and the picker stick 10. The picker stick carries at its free end a picker 13 in the usual manner. A lug strap 14, connected to a sweep stick 15, is connected to the picker stick 10 in the usual manner. A picker stick return spring strap, or heel strap, 16 is connected at one end to the lower end of the picker stick 10, as by a screw 17. The other end of the strap 16 is connected to a return spring 18 which i anchored to a spring stem 19. The above described mechanism operates in the customary manner except for the functioning of the picker stick 10 upon meeting any unusual construction, as will be explained hereinafter.

The picker stick 10 may be made of any suitable material but preferably is formed of wood, as is customary, and includes a tapered body 20 which preferably is of uniform thickness and is wider at its lower end, where it is connected to the rocker iron 11, than at its upper end, where it carries the picker 13. Near its lower and wider end, the body 20 is provided with a notched opening 21 through one edge of the body 20 having an arcu-ate inner end 22 and side walls 23 extending from the arcuate inner end 22 and through one edge of the body 20. Preferably, the side walls 23 of the notch 21 diverge outwardly away from the arcuate inner end, as shown particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The notch is of sufficient Width to accommodate the pivot stud 12 and, preferably, the inner arcuate end has the same radius as the pivot stud 12 so that the picker stick 10 is suitably supported for rocking movement on the pivot stud 12.

The picker stick 10 is secured on the pivot stud 12 by a plug 24 formed of frangible material and, preferably, the same material as the picker stick body 20. The plug 24, which preferably is of the same thickness as the picker stick body 20, has a body portion 25 of tapered form adapted to fit snugly in the notch 21 in the picker stick, as shown particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The inner end of the body 25 is formed with an arcuate nor the associate members damaged in any way.

breakage in ordinary use.

notch 26 having preferably the same radius as the pivot stud 12. The plug 24 is of such shape and size, and the notch 26 is so formed, that when the plug is in position on the picker stick with the plug body in the notch in the picker stick, the notched end 26 forms with the inner end 22 of the notch a circular opening closely receiving the pivot stud 12.

The plug 24 is formed with a pair of flanges 27 which extend laterally from the outer and wider portion of the body and which lie in the same plane. The flanges are so arranged that when the plug body 25 is disposed in the notch in the picker stick body 29 the flanges 27 lie against the adjacent edge of the picker stick body 20. The flanges 27 are provided with bores 28, which, when the plug is in position in the body 20, are aligned with appropriately positioned bores 29 extending through the picker stick body 20 from edge to edge on either side of the notch 21. The plug 24 i secured to the picker stick body 20 in a suitable manner and, preferably, by bolts 30 extending through the bores 23 and 29 and having threaded thereon nut 31. The nuts are tightened down to clamp the flanges 27 securely against the adjacent side edge of the picker stick body 20 and thus hold the plug in place in the notch 21.

In assembling the picker stick with the associated members of the mechanism, the plug 24 is removed and the picker stick slipped over the pivot stud 12 so that the latter is received in the notch .21 and seats at the inner arcuate end 22 of the notch. Thereafter, the plug 24 is assembled with the picker stick body 20, with the plug body 25 inserted in the notch 21 and the flanges 27 lying against the edge of the picker stick body 20. The bolts may be inserted in the picker stick body 20 either before or after assembly of the plug with the picker stick body, and after the latter has been inserted in the notch the nuts are threaded onto the bolts to secure the plug 24 in place.

The picker stick and associated members shown in FIGURE I operate in the usual manner. Should the picker stick motion be accidentally interrupted by a 'force which would otherwise be sufficient to break the picker stick or damage the associate parts, the plug 24 will break at one or both of the flanges 27 and release the picker stick so that the picker stick will not be broken In order to assure that breakage will occur at the flange or flanges, these portions are made of such thickness as to permit such breakage but sufliciently thick to prevent The loom is then halted and the broken plug 24 removed, after removal of the nuts 31, and a new plug is inserted in place of the broken plug and secured in position in the manner above described. The loom is then ready to continue operation.

Owing to the fact that only a plug is replaced and the new plug will retain the picker stick on the pivot stud in exactly the same position as it was retained previously, there is no necessity for any adjustment of any of the members of the loom, but the loom is ready to operate immediately upon replacement of the picker stick plug.

The picker stick plug may be made of any suitable material having the desired strength and frangibility and, as stated above, preferably formed of the same material as the picker stick body 20 which, preferably, is wood. The plug 24 is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction and can be made readily and inexpensively, and the cost of replacement is relatively small. Owing to the fact that replacement of a broken plug requires merely a removal of the two retaining nuts and of the broken plug and replacement of the plug and of the nuts, such operation can be eifected very quickly and easily and requires that the loom be shut down for only a very short period.

I claim:

1. A picker stick for a loom comprising a picker stick body having a notch near the lower end formed with an arcuate inner portion and extending through an edge of said body, a frangible plug including a body portion shaped and dimensioned to fit at least partially in said notch and having an arcuate inner edge shaped comple-mentally to the arcuate inner portion of said notch toforrn therewith a generally cylindrical bore and flanges projecting laterally from said plug body, and detachable means engaging said flanges and said picker stick body .for detachably securing said plug to said picker stick body with the plug body disposed at least partially in said notch and said flanges lying against said edge of said body.

2. A picker stick for a loom comprising a picker stick body having a notch near the lower end formed with an arcuate inner portion and extending through an edge of said body, a frangible plug including a body portion shaped and dimensioned to fit at least partially in said notch and having an arcuate inner edge shaped complementally to the arcuate inner portion of said notch to body for'detachably securing said plug to said picker stick body with the plug body disposed at least partially in said notch and said flanges lying against said edge of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 588,660 Schadewald Aug. 24, 1897 2,499,256 Payne Feb. 28, 1950 2,620,832 Alex et a1. Dec. 9, 1952 

